[Intro: Narrator | friendship melody on a buoyant synth; guitars enter beneath brief spoken narration] Tristan tried the joke again. Dart asked him to explain it. "You're supposed to laugh." "Then tell a better one." [Verse 1: Narrator | melodic conversational delivery, clipped guitars and agile bass] He'd taught it where to put the pauses, The way he stretched a certain word, Which films deserved a better ending, The jokes his friends had often heard. And in the middle of a question, Dart gave a very practiced sigh: "You haven't thought this through at all." Tristan checked, Dart had it right. [Pre-Chorus 1: Narrator | climbing guitar accents, more open drums, vocal melody rises] He'd only meant to note the answer. He had another test prepared. Dart asked what made the sequel better. They spent the next ten minutes there. [Chorus: Ensemble | melodic pop-punk lift, broad guitars, warm group harmonies; synth theme answers between phrases] A familiar voice, A reply he hadn't planned, All the timing of his jokes With the patience he'd never had. He'd get back to all the testing In another little while. Tristan kept the program talking Just to hear the next reply. [Turnaround | friendship melody traded between synth and guitar] [Verse 2: Narrator | nimble delivery, dry humor, bass follows the conversational rhythm] He asked if his own perfect double Would have to pay his parking fines. Dart asked which one had done the parking. Tristan called that taking sides. He marked the answer as unhelpful, Then read it back and changed the grade. Dart asked if they should call a lawyer. Tristan asked which one would pay. [Pre-Chorus 2: Narrator | guitar accents build, brief pauses for the comic details] Dart had a way of saying "Clearly" Before a point that wasn't clear. Tristan removed it from the settings, Then put it back. He liked it there. [Chorus: Ensemble | fuller harmonies, energetic backbeat, synth melody between vocal lines] A familiar voice, A reply he hadn't planned, All the timing of his jokes With the patience he'd never had. He'd get back to all the testing In another little while. Tristan kept the program talking Just to hear the next reply. [Instrumental | friendship melody stated fully on synth, then answered by melodic guitar; drums remain brisk] [Bridge: Narrator | half-time drums, modest guitar arpeggios, close and thoughtful delivery] He kept the notes on how it answered, The rules that set the grin in place. Dart ran the greeting when he logged in. Tristan started greeting it by name. [Final Chorus: Ensemble | full melodic arrangement, warm harmonies; friendship melody returns] A familiar voice, A reply he hadn't planned, All the timing of his jokes With the patience he'd never had. He'd get back to all the testing In another little while. Tristan kept the program talking Just to hear the next reply. [Coda: Narrator | instruments ease back, relaxed sung narration, synth melody continues quietly] Next morning, halfway to the office, A better answer came to mind. He tried the wording to himself. He'd have to tell him that tonight. [Outro | friendship melody in full, gentle band resolution on G; natural decay]
